Max Domi says the lure of playing down south was strong but he couldn’t resist London.
The lure of college hockey and the United States Hockey League was all too real, according to Max Domi.
But the offensively-gifted son of former NHLer Tie Domi will not play in either league after his rights were dealt from the Kingston Frontenacs, who drafted him eighth overall, to the London Knights. Domi is in London and more than a bit anxious to get started with the Knights.
"I'm pretty excited," he said Wednesday. "I mean, (London is a) first-class organization and I can't wait to get started."
Domi will soon get his chance after the Knights sent three second-round draft picks to the Frontenacs for his rights. The prospect, who insists he only learned of the trade the same time it became public knowledge, was just as quick to sign on to play for the Knights as he was to defend his previous statements towards taking an interest in playing south of the border.
Ever since the Frontenacs drafted him in the first round in early May, Domi spoke of playing in the United States. He'll get that chance, when his Knights visit one of the three American-based OHL teams.
But if there are hard feelings over his decision to stay in Canada and play in the OHL, the only resentment Domi seemingly now feels is the notion he was trying to dictate his future by setting up NCAA and USHL smoke screens.
"It was serious enough for me to go all the way down to Indiana and Michigan," he said, "so I guess that's not serious enough, but I mean, I was pretty serious about going down there."
The plan, whether he was serious or not, was to play for the Indiana Ice of the USHL and later join head coach Red Berenson at the University of Michigan. But, just as he thanked Kingston general manager Doug Gilmour for facilitating the trade to London, Domi took the time to compliment the programs he won't be joining.
"I was down at Michigan and I talked to Red Berenson and that whole program," he said. "I do have a ton of respect for the whole USHL league, the Indiana Ice, (owner and CEO) Paul Skjodt there as well as Michigan with Red Berenson."
Regardless, red flags wove high for all to see when a non-committed Domi spoke more about his options south of the border than those above it. His father, after all, played three seasons for the Peterborough Petes which led to a long NHL career.
Domi said his small stature, just five-foot-eight and 180 pounds, was not a factor in leaning towards the NCAA, as it can be for other, small players.
"Not at all actually," he explained. "I don't really look at it like that. I mean, you can be that size and play anywhere so I didn't really let it affect me or my decision."
The lure, he puts it, was in education.
"My parents were really big on education," he said. "Obviously, my mom more so than my dad, but they were really leaning towards the college route. Last season we did a lot of research. We explored both options with a lot of depth, but in the end, I'm pretty confident in my decision and I can't wait to get started."
Aside from general excitement over the OHL draft months earlier, Domi was also insistent that if he had slipped one spot lower, to the Knights' pick, he wouldn't have made the decision to immediately sign in London.
"I couldn't tell you because I was committed to Michigan," he said. "I was just focusing on the summer and I was going to wait and think about it all summer and make my decision at the end."
Domi made that decision, once the decision became easier. It may seem like a clever move strategically for the former Don Mills Flyers scoring sensation to land in one of the Ontario Hockey League's marquee markets. After all, the Frontenacs went for broke last season and the house walked away with all their money following a first-round thrashing by rival Oshawa.
Then the Frontenacs orchestrated several organizational moves, ultimately with Gilmour hanging up his skates and whistle as head coach and moving up into his office as general manager. Now with a rookie head coach in Todd Gill and a group of players with no realistic aspirations at challenging for a title in the near future, the situation in Kingston didn't necessarily lend itself towards landing a prospect of Domi's stature.
"I have a lot of respect for that organization and I wish them the best of luck in the future," he said.
When asked what message he would give to the fans in Kingston, who surely would have loved seeing him in a Frontenacs jersey, he kept it short and simple.
"Good luck this year."
